NLGFC Drills Accounts Officers in Financial Management

Cases of corruption and mismanagement of public funds in local authorities have become worrisome. While the majority of councils are playing to the book, a few errant officers are not. This has a direct negative correlation on the development of the nation. To avert this, NLGFC has been training accounts officers from different councils on proper utilization and management of public funds.

James Namame, NLGFC Fianancial Analyst says that, while the general public is awash with negative stories about fraud and mismanagement of funds in LAs, the NLGFC is engaging an extra gear in addressing the vice through capacitating council officers. Namame said this after such trainings in Blantyre, Mzuzu and Nkhotakota councils. He says the NLGFC has developed strategies against unscrupulous and fraudulent financial practices and transactions in councils.

One of the strategies is for Accounts Officers to fully adopt use of Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) in all financial transactions.

For Nkhotakota District Council, one of the trainees, George Nyasulu says the training had come at the right time.

“Accounts officers were failing to process payments using IFMIS which is a requirement by the accountant general and NLGFC that all councils should transact using IFMIS, but with this training, the officers will now have confidence to transact in IFMIS, produce Financial reports in time and share with stakeholders to help them know the financial resources for the council and on which development projects are the resources being used for,” said Phiri.

Namame says this resonates well with NLGFC values of making local councils corrupt free zones in Malawi.

The NLGFC empowered by the constitution of the republic of Malawi to ensure sound financial management, effective and efficient utilization of public funds in all local councils.